A plan to introduce history as a compulsory subject from Grades 10 to 12 in public schools has been met with mixed emotions from education stakeholders.
The department of education is finalising the introduction of the subject across the board.
The department has established a task team of education experts to oversee the implementation of the subject.
In an announcement published in the Government Gazette last Friday, Basic Education Minister Angelina Motshekga said a ministerial task team would be responsible for:
- Conducting research on how other countries have dealt with the introduction of history as part of citizenship in their schooling system;
- “Strengthening” the content of history in the FET band and;
- Making recommendations to the Minister.
“ conduct a research study on how best to implement the introduction of compulsory history in FET schools as part of citizenship located within life orientation,” Motshekga said in the gazette.
The ministerial task team is made up of seven history experts who teach at higher education institutions. Among them is Rhodes University history lecturer Dr Nomalanga Mkhize.
Eastern Cape education expert Dr Ken Alston questioned the intentions behind making history compulsory.
He said South Africans should be skeptical about the government plan as history was open to political and ideological manipulation.
“What is their reason?” Alston asked.
“If it is to be a political manipulation, people must speak out.
“My immediate suspicion is that there is something else underlying it,” said Alston.
SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) deputy general secretary Nkosana Dolopi said the union supported the plan.
“We hold the view that for us to be complete citizens we must know where we come from,” Dolopi said.
The DA shadow minister for basic education, Gavin Davis, said there was no good reason to make history compulsory for these grades.
“Not only will it curtail learners’ choices, it will divert resources away from where they are needed most – in mathematics, sciences and languages,” Davis said. — siphem@dispatch.co.za
Plans afoot to make history compulsory
The department of education is finalising the introduction of the subject across the board.
The department has established a task team of education experts to oversee the implementation of the subject.
In an announcement published in the Government Gazette last Friday, Basic Education Minister Angelina Motshekga said a ministerial task team would be responsible for:
“ conduct a research study on how best to implement the introduction of compulsory history in FET schools as part of citizenship located within life orientation,” Motshekga said in the gazette.
The ministerial task team is made up of seven history experts who teach at higher education institutions. Among them is Rhodes University history lecturer Dr Nomalanga Mkhize.
Eastern Cape education expert Dr Ken Alston questioned the intentions behind making history compulsory.
He said South Africans should be skeptical about the government plan as history was open to political and ideological manipulation.
“What is their reason?” Alston asked.
“If it is to be a political manipulation, people must speak out.
“My immediate suspicion is that there is something else underlying it,” said Alston.
SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) deputy general secretary Nkosana Dolopi said the union supported the plan.
“We hold the view that for us to be complete citizens we must know where we come from,” Dolopi said.
The DA shadow minister for basic education, Gavin Davis, said there was no good reason to make history compulsory for these grades.
“Not only will it curtail learners’ choices, it will divert resources away from where they are needed most – in mathematics, sciences and languages,” Davis said. — siphem@dispatch.co.za
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